


No Matter What, There's Christmas and There's Us

by QueenoftheBritons (orphan_account)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War I, Angst, Arthur Pendragon Returns (Merlin), Christmas, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Sort Of, World War I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28058871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/QueenoftheBritons
Summary: World War One might not be Albion's greatest need, but when Merlin finds himself fighting in the war, there's no reason he can't be offered a helping hand for a day.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 43





	No Matter What, There's Christmas and There's Us

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this lil Christmas fic that should fill you with Christmas spirit! Hopefully... 
> 
> The italics are when they are speaking in German because google translate is not good enough for me to try and actually use German. 
> 
> The title of the fic is from Kissin' in the Cold which is a really beautiful song which I think is supposed to be a happy song but it made me write this, so you decide!

Merlin’s heart froze, but his body stopped its shivering as his eyes caught those of the first man who had clambered out and ventured over. A madman at first, now thanked by most. When Merlin had listened as the air fell silent, as hushed voices whispered of fir trees and carols and a man emerging, he made sure he was one of the first to follow his lead. Then he had caught him, eyes blurring out men who had left their weapons behind and hugged with ease, cried with a mixture of heartache and joy; he ached to move, to walk, to _run_ to him, but he was planted as if the snow had frozen around his feet.

In a blink, though, the soldier was standing in front of him with an amused smile. _That_ amused smiled, the one Merlin had almost forgotten; teeth chattered between it and then words were being spoken, but the surrounding sound returned to Merlin all at once and he said, “sorry?”

A huff of laughter and a mist of air was followed by the greeting, “Merry Christmas!” and the thick German accent raised more questions in Merlin’s troubled mind.

He was unsure how he was able to gather enough awareness to offer back, “Fröhliche Weihnachten.” He spoke perfectly, earning a raised eyebrow that he was far too familiar with.

“You speak German?”

“Some.” Merlin shrugged, trying to bring a smile from it but failing terribly as he stared at this unfathomable… _thing_.

The German missed it though as his grin reached his eyes, “ _good; because my English is terrible!_ ”

And Merlin laughed, then, a hysterical sort, drowning in the confusion, in the irony; of course, the Once and Future King of Albion _would_ only speak _German_.

When he brushed a shivering hand through his hair, the soldier asked him, “ _are you all right?_ ”

Was he?

Merlin stared at him, wondering whether he had gone mad in the trenches or if he should accept the moment. Then his eyes caught soldiers behind the German, standing on the muddy, miserable terrain of no-man’s land and embracing, socialising and stretching their legs after so long crouched in opposite – yet both just as lonely – trenches; the grins on their faces were so tearful and so _real_ that their happiness was palpable.

His eyes had scanned the whole field before falling back on the familiar stranger, enemy, and he allowed his own smile to break free, joining his comrades in the camaraderie they chose to forget would likely be lost in a day’s time.

“ _Fine_ ,” he nodded, “ _it’s just… this_.” He waved a hand to the sight and the soldier didn’t need to look back to mirror his awe.

“ _It’s strange._ ” He beamed, “ _but it’s Christmas!”_ those blue eyes shined with life as snowflakes dropped softly into that golden hair, and Merlin was sure there was no strand set differently.

“ _It’s Christmas!_ ” Merlin echoed his glee.

A moment passed as they breathed in the joy, but then the German’s eyes fell to Merlin’s freezing hands and he asked, “you have no gloves?”

Merlin’s hands wrapped into each other and he flustered, “ _er, no – they tore. I didn’t have them for long._ ”

Even before he had finished, he watched as the soldier removed those covering his own before suddenly shoving them at Merlin.

“What?” Merlin shook his hands, “ _no, no, I can’t-_ ”

“ _They are a gift._ ” his hands were wrapped around them and he looked up to find blue staring back. “ _You can’t refuse._ ” There was kindness, but also that victorious tone he knew well, that tone that told Merlin this man had got the better of him once again.

“ _Thank you._ ” Merlin paused, “ _I don’t… I have nothing-_ ”

“ _Don’t worry._ ”

“ _Wait!_ ” and he was routing in his pockets, as if he might find something of value in there, and then he was pulling a couple of buttons out he had been meaning to fix back on to his coat. They were going now, though, to the soldier, “ _here, take these._ ” He offered the little gift; when the German’s eyes fell on them, he couldn’t help but feel silly, ready to pull them back and apologise, but then they were taken.

The soldier nodded, “ _these are nice, and I do need some buttons._ ” Merlin wondered if he was lying. “ _Thank you…?_ ”

Merlin had already figured he had not been recognised, but he couldn’t help the pain in his chest when asked for his name. “ _I’m Merlin._ ”

“ _Merlin._ ” Even the thick accent did nothing to the familiarity of his name rolling off the tongue, spoken from those lips. “ _I am Arthur._ ”

 _I know._ Merlin forced a brighter smile, “ _Arthur_.”

“ _Tell me, Merlin, do you like football?_ ”

Bodies of the fallen are brought together, no attention given to the tattered uniforms, offering an indiscriminate, dignified send off for as many as they could. As Merlin helped those bringing the lifeless where there now seemed so much, the joy still hummed among the throngs of soldiers, but tampered as they saw men they knew and those they could never know sent off properly. Men who had boasted of the families and lovers they would return to once the war was over, supposedly by Christmas time, were now given a permanent resting place too far away.

Merlin wiped away a freezing tear, unashamed to join a few others as all the men shared a silence for those fallen, both enemy and ally. He almost broke when he was reminded of Arthur’s company beside him when their shoulders brushed against each other, overwhelmingly grateful for his presence, even if it was as a stranger.

“ _You don’t look like a soldier to me_ ,” the blond said, looking him up and down as they remained side by side. “ _Why are you here?_ ”

Merlin swallowed, watching weary figures around them get back to exchanging gifts of souvenirs and cigarettes, some helping enemies light them in the wind; the men were right in front of them, yet they were so marred in misery that they were painted black as silhouettes, standing out against the white sky above.

“ _Point out to me any man here who looks a soldier_.”

He knew Arthur was seeing everything he did before he received the reply, “ _ah, you are a wise man; there are too few of them these days_.” Merlin chuckled, thinking of those times of war long passed, realising how little things could change. He heard Arthur breathe in, before the German soldier fixed his head straight, staring out but looking lost. “ _They all think that they’re fighting for what is right._ ”

Merlin turned properly, his eyes fixed on him.

“ _They can try, but right does not send these men to fight its own battles._ ”

Merlin blinked, “ _then what are you doing here?_ ”

“ _To fight side by side with these men who risk it all,_ ” and Arthur’s face turned so their eyes met, “ _but today, I am here to spread the joy of Christmas with all of mankind._ ”

Merlin grinned and admitted, “ _this has given them hope, has given_ me _hope._ ” He briefly pondered if that was why Arthur was there all along. “ _I was beginning to wonder if this was the end of the world._ ”

“ _Oh, no!_ ” Arthur leaned into him, and Merlin was all too happy to accept the contact. “ _Not yet; you see,_ ” he pointed out men laughing together, some kicking the football around, “ _it will be when we can no longer see the human in our enemy – that will be the end._ ”

Merlin hummed, “ _perhaps it would be for the best._ ”

“ _We can always be reminded of it, even in our darkest moments, Merlin_.”

Humming drifted from his right, and then from his left; it took a moment, but Merlin soon realised the tune and smiled, humming along before the singing began. He swayed together with Arthur, watching as the white sky was overtaken by darkness, a few stars lighting the night sky.

Stille Nacht, heilige nacht

All is calm, all is bright

Nur das traute hochheilige Paar

Holy infant so tender and mild

Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Sleep in heavenly peace!

Merlin’s eyes tracked the soldiers who continued to sing, but began retreating into their bases; the smiles remained stuck to their faces, men eager to keep them there as they were still above ground. Once their feet reached the trenches, their eyes would face the realities and the amicable silence would eventually cease.

As the song drew to a close, Merlin had the urge to grab Arthur, but he found there was nothing he could say. Instead, he followed his comrades’ lead, and he stuck on his smile. “ _I suppose this is goodbye._ ”

“ _Yes,_ ” Arthur seemed just as hesitant to return. “Goodbye, my English friend.”

“ _Will I see you again?_ ”

Arthur’s eyes light up with that amusement from earlier, but it sinks with his smile into something sombre and the trenches reach them before they can even move. “ _I hope not_ ,” he replied with misery and truth, “ _I like you._ ”

Merlin choked, realising there were tears in his throat as well as his eyes.

“Merry Christmas, Arthur,” he whispered as he watched the retreating soldier.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't ask... I just keep writing things and I don't know what they are, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! 
> 
> Let me know your thoughts! :)


End file.
